Japan's Emperor Akihito plans to resign in a few years. For now, it is only intentions. Moreover the imperial code has no precedent of abdication since 200 years. The Emperor will make his intention known and he ponders how to announce it in the future. The Emperor of ‎Japan Akihito could abdicate before the Tokyo Olympics in 2020 hinted by an Nhk reporter.

"The succession to the Chrysanthemum Throne has always passed to descendants in male line from the imperial lineage. Abdication was used very often, and in fact occurred more often than death on the throne. In those days, the Emperor's chief task was priestly (or godly), containing so many repetitive rituals that it was deemed that after a service of around ten years, the incumbent deserved pampered retirement as an honored former Emperor. Daijō Tennō or Dajō Tennō (both accepted readings of 太上天皇) was the title for a Japanese Emperor who abdicated in favor of a successor. The term is often shortened to Jōkō. As defined in the Taihō Code, although retired, a Daijō Tennō could still exert power. The first such example is the Empress Jitō in the 7th century. A retired emperor sometimes entered the Buddhist monastic community, becoming a cloistered emperor. This practice was rather common during the Heian period. The last emperor to rule as a Jōkō was Emperor Kōkaku (1779–1817) EoQ Wikipedia.

(As stated on the Nhk and mentioned on online pages such as Wikipedia)

Japan needs to get prepared for this recent historic announcement. NHK announced the news. LDP talks about it. Kunaicho denied it of course. Time is now used to prepare population and avoid crisis or stress...